Half a Soul
by Just-Like-Ginny
Summary: George Weasley's POV. Deathly Hallows. The hour of peace while Voldemort awaits Harry in the Forbidden Forest. You can do the math. *I wrote this a while ago and had more planned as a one-shot, but decided to post in chapters* Warning: Have tissues nearby.


One hour. Voldemort is giving us one hour of peace, and expecting Harry to just wander into the woods and turn himself in. And if I know that git, he might very well do it. Once I find Fred, we'll need to find Harry and lock him in a room or something.

I follow a crowd of people into the Great Hall. There are bodies all over the floor and people everywhere are adding to the piles. The odors of blood and ash that have filled the school since the battle began seem concentrated in the room. I glance around, looking for a familiar face to follow, unaware of where to begin. I spot Mum crying against Dad and I head over there, wondering what I am about to find. I freeze as I glance down and see Tonks, dead, her hand resting on Lupin's equally lifeless body. Staring at them, I yearn for Fred to be here—he always knows how to lighten the mood. He would probably be making some sort of joke about them off shagging as ghosts or something.

"Zey were such a sweet couple," Fleur says from behind me. "And poor leetle Teddy."

Funny, how things change. A year ago, Fleur was making a point of saying how bloody clumsy Tonks was. Red hair catches my eye and I turn to see Percy stumbling into the Great Hall, lugging another body behind him. I force a chuckle as I look back down at the so recently happy couple. "Teddy will just—"

Fleur shrieks. I turn to look at her and find her hiding her face in Bill's robes. Another gasp from the other side and I turn just in time to see Mum collapse into Dad's arms, but he barely notices. He and Bill are staring at the entrance Percy just came in. I turn back around warily, realizing I had not looked at whom Percy is pulling.

I spot him again, and this time I look down to the body with him. More red hair and a freckled face. It can't be—my heart stops. The world seems to go silent, or maybe it stops altogether. I am running toward them, but I can't feel my feet moving. I might be running through people, stepping on bodies both dead and living. I don't know. I don't care. Nothing exists. How can it? How can I?

I finally reach them and Percy releases Fred to the ground. I just stare down, falling to the ground beside him and waiting for him to open his eyes, laughing. His mouth is turned up in a smile—it is a joke. It has to be.

I nudge him, but he still does not move. "This is a bit much, Mate," I tell him, beginning to shake him. "People are really dying." He still does not budge.

"George—" Percy's voice is distant, a combination of fear and pleading. He sounds like he has to work to make any sound at all. He must be buying into Fred's game.

I shake him harder, almost violently. "Fred, stop this. _Stop_." And he's being pulled away from me—pulled to where Mum lay, sobbing uncontrollably now, and I'm fighting to follow—using every bit of energy I have to escape the grip keeping me from my brother. My twin. "_Fred!_" I'm pulled in tighter to a body and realize it's Bill holding me back. He's shushing me, and I don't care how loud I am. "_Fred! Stop this! Wake up!_" But he still doesn't move, except for Percy's continual movement toward Mum.

He finally stops in front of her, and lays Fred to rest next to Lupin's frail body, and I can't stand anymore. I hit the ground hard as Bill relinquishes me. I must get back to Fred. He cannot be dead—not if I live. My brother—my twin—my best friend. What am I without him? Half a soul. Half of myself. I'm not sure I can even call it half, not without him.

The next thing I know, I am crawling across the Great Hall, determined to get to his side again, yet finding it impossible to stand. People must be staring but I don't see them. The room emptied the moment Fred did not wake when I asked him to. Nobody matters. I don't matter.

I reach him again, but can't stand to look at him anymore. But I need to be close to him. I close my eyes and stop fighting my own body. Mum had fallen across his chest, so I kneel by his head and pull my own head down to his, resting my forehead against his hair. Maybe if I concentrate hard enough, I can transfer my life into him. What else is a twin for—I can save him. I have to. That's what I'm here for. It's the reason I live.

"Take me," I'm not even aware of the thought before it comes out. "Take me with you." Mum sobs even harder, her body shaking, her tears soaking Fred's bloody shirt. "You can't leave me here!" I'm pleading with him. Mum is choking on her own tears. I don't mean to make it worse for her. I just—I can't do this. I can't live, knowing he doesn't. Why did he have to go? Why couldn't I die with him? Why couldn't I die, instead? I still have a chance. The war's not over.

A pair of footsteps approaches the others, followed by two more pairs. The whole family must be here, now, but I don't look up. There's no point looking into the faces I will never see again. I will just concentrate on Fred. I will be back with him again soon. There's no other way for it to end. The world would not make sense unless we are together.


End file.
